Telefonica’s Venezuelan CAPEX to rise 47%

Movistar Venezuela, part of Spain’s Telefonica group, has announced that it will raise CAPEX by 47% in 2013 to VEF3.4 billion (USD790 million), up from the VEF2.3 billion it spent in 2012, with investments to support the installation of 1,525 network nodes, improved fibre coverage and 4G LTE development, reports Telesemana. The operator estimated that by the end of 2013 there will be 4.2 million smartphones active in its network (and ‘over 42% market penetration’), up from its current total claimed of ‘more than three million’ smartphone users, which Movistar says translates into 20% penetration and a ‘55% share’ of the local smartphone market.

In the three-year period 2010-2012 Movistar Venezuela invested CAPEX of VEF5.6 billion, with 2012’s spending largely focused on expansion of infrastructure and its radio spectrum, enabling it to double the capacity of its data network and provide customers with a ‘66% increase’ in mobile internet browsing speed.